


Cold Feet, Warm Hands

by prufrocking



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: Future Fic, M/M, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-28
Updated: 2012-09-28
Packaged: 2017-11-15 05:00:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/523406
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/prufrocking/pseuds/prufrocking
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"No, Billy, she's kind of right. We've put it off pretty long." Teddy took a long breath when Billy gave him a nasty look. "I haven't told you this, but both Wanda and your mom have been calling me every month for the past couple of years to ask if we've set a date yet."</p><p>Billy pouted, sinking back into his seat. "Fine, we'll start planning the stupid wedding."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Cold Feet, Warm Hands

**Author's Note:**

  * For [DeathByFluteConcerto](https://archiveofourown.org/users/DeathByFluteConcerto/gifts).



> For my best friend Rose, because she moved seven hours away last week and I owe her birthday fic. Which I'm only two months late with.
> 
> THERE IS NO SADNESS IN THIS FIC, ONLY HAPPY FEELS. And lots of head-canon. Things to know: Teddy moved in with Eli after AvX despite the awkwardness that was Eli putting up his shield after Children's Crusade because Eli's grandma got tired of Teddy living in a shoebox. Everything bad that happened during Children's Crusade is now fixed. Most of the Young Avengers are now living in Avengers Tower because the Avengers are mostly retired at this point. Tommy's the only exception because he's now a teacher for the X-Men, but he still responds to Assemble calls.
> 
> Also, I apologise in advance for anything I got wrong about the ceremony. I am not Jewish and I have only ever been to Asian weddings.

> Special Feature - Sparks in the Air, Literally: Examining Today's Most Famous Super-Couples  
>  Part 6 of 12: Hulkling and Wiccan  
>  Ritchie Skitter  
>    
>  _This is a special monthly series of articles celebrating the fifth anniversary of The Heroic Herald, New York's only source for the most current updates on the daily lives of our local superheroes. To commemorate Pride Month, Hulkling and Wiccan were chosen for this month's feature article._  
>    
>  While Northstar may have been the first openly gay superhero, these two were arguably some of the most influential voices in the most recent phase of the gay rights movement. I thought it would only be most fitting to choose our resident queer Avengers for Pride Month. (Regardless of the shenanigans a certain Mr. Stark sometimes gets caught in, he does not quite qualify for the moniker.)  
>    
>  It is impossible to relay a proper history of our current Avengers without Hulkling and Wiccan—who, hilariously enough, was originally called Asgardian. It's still unclear why he changed his name, but it's likely that his relationship with Hulkling was a key factor in the decision.  
>    
>  [...]  
>    
>  Yet, despite being together for so long and becoming champions for the cause, inside sources tell me that they've yet to tie the knot! Gay marriage has been legal nationwide for five years now—what's keeping you kiddos?  
>    
>  \--The Heroic Herald, June 24, 2023

"You know, he kind of has a point." Kate stated bluntly. She leaned back in her chair and tossed the magazine back at her two teammates before downing her coffee.  
  
Billy blanched. "You're actually going to take this trash seriously?"  
  
"I'm actually kind of flattered he chose us," Teddy replied. "He didn't get too much wrong, either."  
  
"But that doesn't change _anything_! It's still a terrible publication, and—"  
  
Kate set her cup down loudly to shut Billy up. "Regardless of how horrible tabloid journalism is, it doesn't change the fact that you two have, in fact, technically been engaged for...what, ten years now?"  
  
"Weddings are complicated!" Billy retorted, slamming his hands on the table.  
  
Kate raised an eyebrow and placed her chin on her left hand, intentionally emphasising her own wedding band. " _Really_ , now?" She and Eli had just gotten married two weeks ago, surrounded by the kind of media coverage you'd expect from an interracial marriage between an heiress and a boy who grew up in the Bronx—never mind the fact that both of them happened to be Avengers—after a lot of dancing around each other and an acceptance that, no matter what messed-up alternate universes had to say about the future, Kate was not going to have twins with Tommy, much less marry him. (Even ten years later, Kate still thought Tommy was a douchebag. Besides, he had that awkward thing going on with Molly, where she wasn't sure exactly _what_ was up between those two after they started teaching at the mutant school in San Francisco, and the less she thought about that, the better.)  
  
"Okay, now you're just being unfair—"  
  
Teddy placed a hand on Billy's, interrupting, "No, Billy, she's kind of right. We've put it off pretty long." He took a long breath when Billy gave him a nasty look. "I haven't told you this, but both Wanda and your mom have been calling me every month for the past couple of years to ask if we've set a date yet."  
  
Billy pouted, sinking back into his seat. "Fine, we'll start planning the stupid wedding."  
  
Teddy beamed at his fiancé; as hard as Billy tried to stay angry, seeing Teddy look so happy made his insides into mush.  
  
Kate clapped her hands together, grinning mischievously. "Great, then it's settled! I'm going to go make a few calls."  
  
Billy gulped. "I'm going to regret this, aren't I?"  
  
  
  
Billy slammed his head on the table in front of him. Teddy gave him a sympathetic pat on the back, although he was not faring much better; he asked Kate to invite Xavin and Noh-Varr over in order to consult with them about how to best go about the wedding, and suddenly it felt like he was watching the outbreak of the next Kree-Skrull War. Again. This was not a very good pattern for Teddy's life to be following.  
  
"As he is the rightful heir to the throne, it is unthinkable that Dorrek VIII would not have a proper Skrull wedding!"  
  
"You are ignoring the fact that he is obviously uncomfortable with the idea! Kree weddings have always been quiet and intimate affairs, not drawn-out lavish events where the entire empire is on the guest list—"  
  
"It is _not_ , as you say, 'the entire empire'!" Xavin snarled, offended by Noh-Varr's insinuation that she would even think of inviting peasants to a royal wedding.  
  
Before Noh-Varr could reply and launch the first blow of the impending war, Teddy declared, "You know, guys, I think I'm just going to go with an Earth wedding." Both aliens suddenly looked scandalised. "I understand that I should be upholding the traditions of both cultures I come from, but I grew up _here_ , on Earth, and I think Billy would be happier if we stuck with what was familiar to both of us."  
  
Billy stared at Teddy in awe, unsure if he was extremely impressed by his eloquence or extremely worried about the possibility that he just declared intergalactic war. His worries went away when both Noh-Varr's and Xavin's stances became more relaxed.  
  
"If it is what Dorrek VIII wishes, then it is my duty as a loyal subject to carry it out."  
  
"And I, too, will not pursue the issue."  
  
Teddy let out a sigh of relief.  
  
Later, after Noh-Varr and Xavin left the Avengers Tower, Billy glumly added, "You realise my mother is going to plan our entire wedding now, right?"  
  
Teddy tried to be optimistic about it and gave him a lopsided smile in response. "Maybe it'll be a fun bonding experience?" He ignored Billy's sarcastic squawk of laughter.  
  
  
  
Teddy shifted nervously in his seat, hands clasped together as Rebecca Kaplan screeched into the phone.  
  
"What do you _mean_ none of the rabbis can officiate a wedding until after Hanukkah?! The wedding is in two months! _Two!_ "  
  
He could faintly hear a tinny voice from the phone attempting to calmly explain the situation and felt a twinge of sympathy for whoever was on the other line; Billy got his stubborn streak from his mother.  
  
Teddy sighed, wistfully looking out the window; he was beginning to regret not joining Billy and Cassie on their caterer scouting adventure.  
  
  
  
That night, Billy got food poisoning. All over Teddy's favourite shirt and the tuxedo he was planning to wear to the wedding. Teddy regretted his decision a little less, sleepily comforting Billy while he clung to the toilet bowl and threw up.  
  
  
  
"So little bro," Tommy grinned, casually slinging an arm over Billy's shoulders and ignoring all of Billy's usual protests about how they couldn't prove which one of them came first, "how about we begin planning your bachelor party?"  
  
Billy shrugged Tommy's arm off him, annoyed. "Why would I have a bachelor party?"  
  
"'Cause it's tradition! Booze, loud music, ladies—or, I guess in your case, it'd be dudes; whatever man, I don't mind—God knows I've accidentally walked in on you and Ted enough times back when we were in high school. Hell, we could even have a Tommy-and-the-ladies' night out at a bar or something."  
  
"I'm pretty sure both Eli and Jonas would murder you before they let Kate or Cassie get drunk around you. And did you really just call me a lady?" Billy scowled.  
  
Tommy was already gone by the time Billy turned to look at him. Stupid speedster twin brothers.  
  
  
  
Teddy slowly stepped up the stairs leading to the front door of the Bradley family house. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves; it felt a little silly to him, how he was so much more nervous about this than he was the first time Eli dragged him here to let him move into their house after the whole Phoenix fiasco. He bit his lip and rang the doorbell.  
  
When Faith Bradley answered the door, Teddy gave her a sheepish grin and greeted her. "Hi, Nana."  
  
Faith choked up a little—Teddy had never called her Nana before, despite her insistent requests that he stop calling her Mrs. Bradley because he was _family_ now—and took him into her arms. "It's so good to see you, Teddy."  
  
Teddy hugged her back, letting her sniffle into his chest. "Can I come in?"  
  
Faith let go of him, took a step backwards, then hit him on his temple. "You silly boy, of course you're always welcome here."  
  
Teddy winced in pain but laughed anyway, walking inside and brushing his shoes off on the rug. It was an old Captain America rug, completely worn out at this point, but Faith refused to throw it out; it represented their family more than anything else could.  
  
"Want anything to drink? Or eat?" she asked, beginning to walk toward the kitchen. "You haven't had my pancakes in a while."  
  
"Just water is fine." Teddy headed for the living room, sitting down on the armchair next to the window that ended up becoming his designated chair after he finally accepted being an honorary Bradley.  
  
He sighed, letting himself relax into the seat and taking in the feeling of _home_. He still wasn't used to how empty the house felt after Isaiah passed away last year; he couldn't imagine how lonely Faith must have felt these days.  
  
She came in the room with the glass and a coaster, setting both down on the coffee table in front of Teddy before taking her own seat across the room from him. Teddy took a sip and put it back down.  
  
After a moment of silence, Faith sighed and smiled at him. "You've grown up so much." She laughed, wiping a tear away. "You and Eli both. Getting married, God."  
  
"You're coming, right?" Teddy shifted in his seat, tensing up again ever so slightly.  
  
"I wouldn't miss it for the world."  
  
Teddy let out a shaky breath of relief. "I wanted to ask you something, you know. About the wedding."  
  
Faith raised an eyebrow. "It's normal to be nervous about it. It's a big step and almost everyone ends up getting cold feet—"  
  
"No, no, it's not that," Teddy interrupted.  
  
"What is it, then? Out with it, boy."  
  
Teddy pursed his lips. "During the ceremony, both Billy and I have to have our fathers with us when we exchange the rings." He paused to take a breath. "I wanted you to stand in for me, Nana."  
  
"Oh, Teddy." Faith began to cry, full of joy and pride for him. "Of course I will."  
  
  
  
Billy rolled over in his bed. Again. For the thirtieth time that night. He was getting married tomorrow, and he couldn't sleep. Of _course_ this would be happening to him.  
  
"Ted, you awake?" he whispered.  
  
Teddy moved closer to him, wrapping his arms around Billy's waist and pressing his lips to the back of his neck. "I'm having trouble sleeping, too."  
  
"I'm scared." Billy shifted again, turning to face Teddy. "I don't think I can do this."  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"I just—I feel like something's going to go wrong. I mean, ours is the biggest gay superhero wedding since Jean-Paul got married to Kyle and—"  
  
"And nothing happened."  
  
"But something could! We're a lot higher-profile than Jean-Paul is. We're _Avengers_ , Teddy."  
  
"Nothing happened to Eli and Kate, either."  
  
"Because Kate could afford the security!"  
  
"Fine. We can elope and get married in Vegas." Teddy sighed, tucking Billy's head under his chin. "I'm willing if you are."  
  
Billy snorted. "My mom would kill me."  
  
"Then we're getting married according to plan."  
  
Billy buried his face in Teddy's chest and breathed in. "What did I do to deserve you?"  
  
Teddy kissed the top of his head. "Everything."  
  
  
  
Billy's hands shook, fingers unable to stop playing with the ring he was holding; the weight of it in his left hand was surreal and he was still convinced that none of this was actually happening and that if he looked down, he was going to suddenly be in his underwear and—  
  
Jeff reached out to his son and gave Billy's shoulder a squeeze. Billy nodded at his father and took a deep breath, continuing his walk down to the chuppah with Teddy and Faith. Billy was a nervous mess; he had no idea how Teddy was remaining so calm through this. But then he took a good look at his fiancé— _husband_ —after both of them reached the canopy and suddenly it all went away. It was happening. It was really happening.  
  
Billy took Teddy's hand into his and slipped the ring onto his finger, reciting, "Behold, you are consecrated to me with this ring according to the law of Moses and Israel."  
  
Teddy took Billy's other hand and did the same with his own ring. Smiling, he replied, "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine."  
  
Billy started crying before jumping into his arms and kissing him.  
  
_Finally._


End file.
